Igniting mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



No. 890,247. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. C. A. MYERS, F. W. HAAS, JR. & A. A. MYERS. IGNITING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 7, 1908.

animator: kw I UNITED STATES PATENT- orrion CLARENCE A. MYERS, FREDERIOh W. HAAS, .llt., AN!) AliVAH A. MYERS, OF'OHlC/AGO.

ILLINOIS.

IGNITING MECHANISM I OR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE A. MYnRs,

. a part'of this specification, and'to the figures and letters ofreference marked thereon.

This invention rclatesto improvements inmechanism for igniting the explosive charge of internal combustionengines, the-invention being more especially applicable to engines wherein the ignition is effected by an electric spark or arcdrawn between contacts .readily substituted for the mechanism of a anism are mounted in a plug which is adapted hi gh tension system withoutchange in the arrangement or construction of the engine itself; thus the electrodes of the presentmech-- to be substituted for the usual high tension or "ump spark plug.

he invention consists in certain novel de: tails of construction and combination and arrangement of parts all as will benow described and pointed'out particularly in the ap ended claims.. Y g n the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 'isa sectional elevation showing a sparking apparatus embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is an end view of the spark plugl or e ectrodes, and Fig. 3 is a section on the .line 3-3of Fig; 1.

' .ures indicate the same Like letters of reference in the severallfigarts." K 1 ",In said drawin s the etter M indicates thehead or other wal of the cylinder of an internal combustion'engine having the usual spark oscillatory and the other rotary and in the,

plug aperturem therein. Screwing into this aperture m is a plug bod A' of any suitable metal or other materia having sufficient strerlgthand adapted to carry the electrodes and t eir supporting shafts. Both electrodes in the present device'are movable, one being showing the preferred form of contacts Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1908. Serial No. 419,794.

Patented June 9, 190a preferred arrangement the oscillatory electrode B is mounted on a shaft B journaled in the plug or body A and-adapted to be held in its normal position with a' yielding pressure ing bushing (1, whereby the electrode and its shaft may constitute one terminal of a cirformed by cuit, the other terminal of which is the electrode 13.. g

In order to inclose the outer end of the bearings through which the electrode shafts pass, a'cap E is provided for the plug, such cap being held in place by a screw or screws by-a gasket or packing ring f, the latter also serving to prevent any possible escape of p F, but insulated from the body A of the plug pressure or blowing through the plug itself.

The shaft D is extended through the upper Wall of the cap E, and, for convenience, is

provided with a gland'or suitable packing ox E of well understood conrstuction.

The mechanism for rotating the shaft D and electrode D embodies a means whereby the timing of the movement of the electrode with relationto the power shaftmay be varied in' order to advance or retard the inauguration of the period of ignition, and as a convenient and novel means for 8.000111 plishing this fend which will permit the parts to be readily separated and again restored to'their rope'r relations without requiring special s ill, the shaft D is provided I at its upper end with a bevel gear H meshing in a gear Ion a spar'ker shaft J, which latter may be'adapted for -;operating as many sparking contacts as there are cylinders'in t e engine to which the apparatus is alpplied.

The shaft J carries a sliding sleeve against independent rotation thereon, as by a spline or feather j, and upon or in its outerface 1;

held

ere is formed a spirallc, said spiral constitutinlg the driving connection between the sleeve and a driving(gear N, deriving its motion from the. cran suitable intermediate gearing,'such, for instance, as the shaft and bevel pinion L.- The sleeve K is further provided with a means such as the groove or collar 0, whereby it shaft through any may be shifted longitudinally of-the shaft Without disturbing the driving connections, but such shifting of the sleeve necessarily advances or retards the sparker shaft J with relation to the driving mechanism, whereby It is a matter of very simple adjustment to advance or retard the spark in accordance wlth'the requirements for running the engine at any particular speed.

To facilitate the adjustment of the sparkplug in proper relation to the other wor ing parts of the device and cylinder, gagesG. and r G are mounted on the body A of the plug and cylinder Mrespectively.

From aninspection of Fig. 2 it will be seen,

' that-the electrode or contact B is in the form H make 'a long wiping-contact with the inner s ideof the arm Band to pass off or away from the end of said armduring-the'forward rotation of the shaft D noted that the-end b of the arm is'rounded sufficiently to permit reverse rotation of the electrode D 'without 'danger of. catching against the projection D and hence no damage can be-done should the engine re e reversed through verse or the crank shaft b design or. accident,-

It-will be'nbted that with a sparking ap--- paratus such as described the electrodesare not liable to become fouled byaccumulations thereon, p erfectcontact is insured at all times between the. electrodes at one point during the rotation of the electrode 1), the plug 1s interchangeable with plugs ofordinary construction, and there is no danger of the spark. being killed by oil in the cyhn-f der or which may work in between the circuit connections. The circuit is formed through the shaft D andshaft J,-.the latter being also insulated from the body of'the engine or ground. This',arrangement permits of the shaft J being}- utilized tolsuppl'y current to all the spark plugs in a-multiple cylinder en 'ne.

Havingt us described the invention,- what It will also be J is claimed as new and desired tobe secured,

by Letters-Patent. is

1. In a sparking apparatus for internal 1 plug having a threaded body, of electrode shafts journaled in said body, to have oscillatory-and rotary movements, rotary and oscillatory electrodes carried by said shafts, a

' driving connection for rotatingone ofsaid shafts, a, spring carried by the outer end of the oscillatory shaft for holding the electrode advancedwith a yieldin' pressure, a cap in-' closingtheouter end of t e plug, and a packing gland through which the rotary shaft rojects from the cap, substantially-as descri ed.

2; In asparking apparatus for internal combustion'engines, the combination with a plug body having a threaded projection and electrode. shafts journaled -in said body and having electrodes at their inner ends, of an insulating bushingfor one of said shafts, a spring mounted onth'e outer endof the-otherof said shafts, a cap inclosing the outer end combustion engines, the combination with a of said last mentioned shaft and having a land through which the other shaft projects from the ca and a rotating driving connection for sai last mentioned shaft.

3. In a sparking apparatus for-internal combustion engines,"the combination with a.

plug body, having a threaded rojection adapted to extend throughthe cyhnder wall,

and shafts journaled in saidplug-body and I having electrodes on their inner ends, of an insulating bushing for one of said shafts, aspring carried by the outer end'of the other of sa1d shafts for holding its electrode ad-- vanced with a yielding pressure, a cap inl closing the outer end of said lastmentioned shaft, a gland through which the other shaft projects, an insulating gasket between said sov capan'd plug, and a rotating driving connectially asdescribel.

CLARENCE A. MYERS;

tion' for the last mentioned shaft, substan- FREDERICK W. HAAS, JR.

. ALVAHA; MYERS -'Witnesses: F. L. GOULDING, 1 E, HoLMEs. 

